Paraffin Technique, Cells, Epithelium Flashcards
INSTRUMENTS USED IN THE STUDY
OF HISTOLOGY
- TISSUE CASSETTE/MOULDER
- PARAFFIN DISPENSER
- TISSUE BLOCK CUTTER
- ROTARY MICROTOME
- MICROTOME BLADES
- TISSUE FLOATER
- TISSUE SLIDE DRYER
- MICROSCOPE
- AUTOMATIC PROCESSOR
- H & E STAIN
➢ Acquisition of tissue samples
• From the slaughterhouse or thru biopsy
• The most critical step (time)
• Size of tissue to be collected –
match box
➢Fixation of tissue samples
Fixatives denature the protein contents and inactivates the
enzymes of the tissue thereby rendering a almost in vivo condition
Formaldehyde, picric acid, osmic acid, mercuric chloride, acetone
are common simple fixative
However, no single fixative is commonly used
10% NBF is the most commonly used
Length of fixation depends on the size of the tissue
➢ Washing of fixed tissues
• Removal of excess fixative through running water
➢Dehydration of washed tissue
• Immersion of washed tissue to increasing concentration of alcohol (70-100% ethyl alcohol) to remove excess water.
➢Clearing of dehydrated tissue
The removal of alcohol that has been introduced during dehydration
Alcohol is not miscible with the paraffin embedding medium and should be removed
Xylene is the most commonly used clearing agent
➢Impregnation/infiltration of cleared tissue
•Immersion of cleared tissue to paraffin solution that may permit cutting of thin sections w/out damage to tissue and
its cellular components
➢Embedding/casting/blocking
•Impregnated tissue is placed in molder or boat filled with melted paraffin and allowed to solidify to form block
➢Trimming of tissue blocks
•Paraffin blocks are then cut of excess paraffin to expose the tissue surface in preparation for actual
cutting
➢Sectioning of tissue blocks
•The cutting of tissue block into thin sections ( 5-7 microns) with the aid of a microtome, sections tend to form tissue ribbons
➢Mounting of tissue sections into glass slides
•Tissue” ribbons” are floated in warm water bath to stretch or flatten them
•Selected sections are then mounted onto a glass slides and allowed to dry ( air or oven)
The removal of paraffin from the tissue sections by immersion to xylene.
Deparaffinization
Introduction of water to deparaffinized sections through decreasing concentrations of alcohol (100-70%) to water in preparation for staining.
Rehydration
Routinely used is the H & E stain
- Basic dye Hematoxylin react with the acidic components of the cell, the nucleus which stains blue
- Acidic dye Eosin react to the basic cellular components of the cell, the cytoplasm that colors pink to red
Staining with acid/base dyes
Staining Process
- Deparaffinization
- Rehydration
- Staining with acid/base dyes
- Washing
- Dehydration
- Clearing
- Mounting
The smallest and basic unit structure of a protoplasm that can exist independently.
Cell
The collective term for the living substance of the cell of a plant or an animal.
Protoplasm
The sum of all chemical reactions occurring
within the cell.
Metabolism
A reaction resulting from the synthesis of new molecular components essential for growth, maintenance and repair
Anabolism
A reaction resulting to the degradation of cellular components with the release of energy
Catabolism
The ability of the cell to respond to stimuli in their
environment
Irritability
The ability of the cell to shorten along their long axes (special property of muscle)
Contractility
The ability of the cell to elaborate useful new substances.
Example - secretion of the hepatocytes of bile, pancreatic juice by the pancreas
Secretion
The ability of the cell to get rid of the waste product of metabolism.
Ex. Urine by the kidney, feces by the GIT
Excretion
The ability of the cell to transmit impulses along their cell membrane (special property of nerve cells)
Conductivity
A process by which materials gain access to the cell either by diffusion or pinocytosis
Endocytosis
“Pinching off of the cell membrane”.
Pinocytosis
Engulfment and uptake of particulate matter
Phagocytosis
The exit of materials from the cell
Exocytosis
Cell size varies per cell
❑ Sperm 3-5 µm
❑ RBC 5 – 7 µm
❑ Hepatocyte 30 – 50 µm
❑ Egg cell – 100 µm
CELL SIDES/SURFACES
❑ Apical
❑ Lateral
❑ Basal
❖ Polarized
Cell is divided into:
❑ Cytoplasm
❑ Nucleus
o Number varies from 1,2 or several to none at all as in the case of
mammalian RBC
o Shape also varies from round,
crescent shape or lobulated as in the
case of some WBC
o Position varies also from central,
paracentral to eccentrical location
o An interphase nucleus has four distinct
components:
• Nuclear membrane or envelope
• Karyolymph or nuclear sap
• Chromatin
• Nucleolus
Nucleus
A darkly basophilic membrane
▪ ultrastructurally, an outer and inner membrane exists separated by a
perinuclear space or cisterna
▪ perinuclear space and outer
membrane are contious with the RER
Nuclear membrane
The matrix of the nucleus and the soluble
phase of the nuclear material
Nuclear sap or karyolymph
A term used to describe any area in the nucleus suspected to contain DNA and its bound proteins
Chromatin
The condensed form of chromatin which stains deeply with basic dyes and is metabolically inert
Heterochromatin
A distinguishable heterochromatin believed to contain
the X chromosome
Barr body
non- membrane bound component of the nucleus which may occur freely or attached to the inner nuclear
membrane
✓composed of granular and
filamentous materials both of
which contain RNA
✓Is the center for the synthesis of
RNA (ribosomes)
✓May occur singly or more in the
cell and this determines the
malignancy of a cell
Nucleolus
Gen’ly is acidophilic composed
of three major constituents:
• grounsubstance/hyaloplasm/cytoplasm matrix,
• organelles and
• inclusion bodies
Cytoplasm
An admixture of H2O, CHON,CHO, organic and inorganic salts
Ground substance
The only non-membranous cell organelle
•synthesize proteins for intracellular use
• are RNA containing bodies in the nucleus and cytoplasm of the cell
• in the nucleus, they are found in the nuclear matrix of the nucleolus
• in the cytoplasm, they occur as free ribosomes individually or in groups called polyribosomes or polysomes or attached to the RER
Ribosomes
The membranous organelles :
▪ Cell membrane/plasma memb/ plasmalemma and cell coat
▪ Endoplasmic reticulum (smooth & rough)
▪ Golgi apparatus
▪ Mitochondria
▪ Lysosomes
25-75% of the weight of cell membrane
Distinguished according to function
❑ Structural proteins
❑ Ectoenzymes
❑ Transportation proteins
❑ Receptors
Membrane Protein
2-10% of the weight of cell membrane; covalently bound to
membrane proteins (glycoproteins) or membrane lipids (glycolipids)
Membrane Carbohydrates
All the carbohydrate chains at the surface of a cell
❑ Location of blood group properties
❑ Binding site for pathogens and toxin
❑ Cell-cell recognition
❑ Cell adhesion
Glycocalyx
A system of hollow structures either
tubules or flattened vesicles
(cisterna) extending throughout
the cytoplasm.
Endoplasmic Reticulum
Continuous with the nuclear
membrane studded with ribosomes (appears basophilic due to ribonucleoproteins )
Functions:
1. Protein synthesis destined for secretion
( e.g. digestive enzyme)
2. Glycogen biosynthesis
3. prod’n of degrative enzymes e.g.
glucose-6- PO4
Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
–not studded with ribosomes, thus has no distinct staining characteristics
- less extensive than RER except in
certain cells like hepatocytes
Functions:
1. Participates in glycogen metabolism,
synthesis
2. Participates in ion concentration,
distribution and detoxification of certain
substances
3. Believed to contribute to the formation of
golgi apparatus
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
- has a lamellated profile (4 or more) usually dilated sacks or cisternae; has 2 faces:
- convex face or immature/ formative/trans face- closely associated with transfer vesicle from RER
- concave or mature/open/cis face- intimately associated with secretory vesicles in various stages of condensation and maturation
Functions:
1. Participates in the dynamic turnover of cell membrane
2. Participates in the concentration and packaging of secretory products
3.synthesize polysaccharides
4. Repository of vitamin C
5. Participates in the formation of lysosomes
Golgi apparatus